About 60 countries led by the European Union yesterday (18 September) will launch a bid at the United Nations to end the trade in goods like electro-shock batons and lethal drugs used to carry out torture and death sentences.

A defiant President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday (16 July) stepped up his attack on the European Union, saying Turkey had to go its own way and vowing to bring back the death penalty if parliament passes it.

The European Union should continue accession negotiations with Turkey but a reintroduction of the death penalty would clearly put an end to the process, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said yesterday (31 May).

More than 400 Turkish state officials are seeking asylum in Germany. Despite Ankara insisting these applications be denied, Berlin has granted protection to military personnel in a number of cases. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to make Europe pay for “oppressing” and “humiliating” Turks, in rhetoric aimed at boosting the “Yes” camp ahead of Sunday’s referendum on enhancing his powers.

Jordan's execution of 15 prisoners has provoked "indignation" from Council of Europe leader Pedro Agramunt, who insisted the Arab kingdom remains committed to maintaining a moratorium on the death penalty. EURACTIV Spain reports.

A vast majority of the political groups in the European Parliament yesterday (22 November) said the Commission should temporarily freeze the accession talks with Turkey because of its post-coup purges - while the Commission warned that cutting ties would be a lose-lose solution.

Turkey is "fed up" with European Union condescension in talks over its application to join the bloc, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said yesterday (15 November), reflecting Ankara's exasperation with EU criticism over human rights.

Turkey is heading to a referendum on granting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan new powers as early as next spring, ratcheting up tensions amid a crackdown on dissent and pro-Kurdish politicians, analysts say.

The European Union wants Turkey to change its anti-terrorism law which it considers too broad but such differences do not mean a deal to grant Turkish citizens visa-free access to Europe will fail, the European parliament chief said yesterday (1 September).

Bulgarian NGOs, columnists and a junior coalition partner in Boyko Borissov’s government have all expressed outrage at the news of the extradition to Turkey of an alleged supporter of Fetullah Gülen, the US-exiled cleric accused by Ankara of masterminding the 15 July coup.

The European Union should end accession negotiations with Turkey completely due to President Tayyip Erdogan's "undemocratic initiatives" and his support for reintroducing the death penalty, Denmark's government party said on Tuesday (9 August).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed om Thursday (21 July) to restructure the military and give it "fresh blood" as emergency rule took hold in the NATO member country after last week's attempted coup.

Turkey vowed to root out allies of the US-based cleric it blames for an abortive coup last week, widening a purge of the army, police and judiciary yesterday (19 July) to universities and schools, the intelligence agency and religious authorities.

The Turkish government is expected to continue its crackdown on suspected putschists today (19 July), while the US-based Muslim cleric accused by Ankara of orchestrating the coup attempt says he does not fear extradition.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini stressed on Monday (18 July) that “no country can become an EU member state if it introduces the death penalty”, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday that the country should reintroduce capital punishment after last week’s attempted coup.

Following Friday's failed military coup (15 July), the Turkish government has been consolidating its grip on the country, particularly the army and the judiciary, and has even aired plans to reintroduce the death penalty. EURACTIV France reports.